robert blu
quiet photographer
Hi Cal, sorry for all the sad things which happenes around you. A virtual hug form my side. Now time to start, Maggie will be delighted to have a bike! And next year will be anyway interesting. Nice you have a valuable project for your FP-100 !
Wish you all the best, we are fighters and even in such a "suspended" msituations we'll manage something good.
As we say, "grit your teeth and keep smiling."
Wish you all the best, we are fighters and even in such a "suspended" msituations we'll manage something good.
As we say, "grit your teeth and keep smiling."
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Hi Cal, sorry for all the sad things which happenes around you. A virtual hug form my side. Now time to start, Maggie will be delighted to have a bike! And next year will be anyway interesting. Nice you have a valuable project for your FP-100 !
Wish you all the best, we are fighters and even in such a "suspended" msituations we'll manage something good.
As we say, "grit your teeth and keep smiling."
Robert,
You are a good friend. I feel very positive, but the world is getting strange as we begin the third year of Covid.
A Thanksgiving story I will tell that is more uplifting. Somehow I baked the perfect turkey by mistake. It was a 22 pound turkey that I got for free at Shop Rite by spending a certain amount of money on purchases in a month's time. According to the Internet I would have to bake it for 5 hours at a temperature I now forgot. So I oiled the turkey with olive oil chopped up some thyme and peppered it unstuffed in the oven.
Then about an hour and a half later I remembered that I forgot to cover the turkey in foil. When I pulled the turkey out to cover it the skin was a perfect golden brown like perfect for shooting commercial photography. I was clever to take two narrow pieces of foil and overlapped folds to enlarge it into a large foil where I could blanket and cover the whole roasting pan.
Then 3 1/2 hours later I pulled the turkey out to probe a breast with a the-om-met-her which registered the perfect temperature. (Forgot that temperature too.)
The roasting tray was half-filled with turkey juices, so I figure the foil trapped all the moisture. I let the turkey stand for 20 minutes, but when I carved into it I discovered how somehow I created a clever way to make a moist juicy turkey by doing things backwards and doing things on the fly without thinking. Basically in all the instructions one is suppose to initially cover the turkey with foil and the last step is to brown it by removing the foil at the last hour or so.
So I think my slackler's way holds in the moisture and prevents the turkey from drying out. Makes sense to me, and next year I will see how my mistake can be repeated, then I can annoy people with my reckless bragging.
I was assigned to either make a lasagna or tray of sausage peppers and onions for Christmas Eve. Maggie says I always tend to overdo things, so as usual, I went a bit overboard. Eventually, this food went to feed people before and after the funeral. Maggie's mom died on Christmas day. Note we would later learn she was born on a Good Friday. I used this huge stainless steel pot to cook the peppers and onions, but because I'm lazy I figured I would boil the sausage in water for 5 minutes which is my standard procedure before frying, but instead I decided to try using a Breville electric grill instead of a frying pan.
So don't tell anyone, but the sausages were extra moist and juicy. I'm not bragging when I say the best in the world. Grilling is better than frying. Kinda like shaken not sturred.
So I wonder how many of us are not only good analog photographers who are also great cooks?
I'm finding that lots of my old retro gear is not so available anymore. I'm glad I was greedy and loaded up on bike parts a few years ago. Tonight I just ordered some 24 inch BMX rims so I can get some wheels custom-built for my steel IBIS Mountian Trials and my Titanium one-off prototype.
I'm very glad I bought most of my stuff off EBAY before they collected sales tax. Rich people say, "No one ever got rich by paying taxes."
I am not a religious person, but I do believe that the dead in spirit live on to protect me. I do believe in the conservation of energy and too many remarkable things happen to me that arer beyond luck.
My bike plans seem to be adjusting to the reality of the shortages. I have an old Ti mountain bike that has an obsolete 8-speed drivetrain and rimes that I wish were not so narrow, but I figure converting this very light and strong bike into an urban 8-speed 1x8 cruiser "Newsboy" with its polished titanium looking like chrome allows me to use pink latex tubes that are mucho lightweight and supple for a low rolling resistance. I was going to upgrade the drivetrain but because the bike uses rim brakes there are limitations.
Oh-well, perhaps this is best, and this way I can go crazy with the two IBIS's where one I can add a suspension and keep one a rigid.
Tomorrow back to rescuing the heart pine kitchen floor. I'm about half done. Jack HVAC will call next week about removing a radiator so I can finish the job underneath the radiator. I'm in discussion of converting from oil to natural gas. This will enlarge my darkroom because I will be getting rid of the oil tank in the basement.
Cal
Prest_400
Multiformat
The last quarter of the year flew by, and at least in Sweden they opened up fully till the new wave led by Omicron. I used the time to be out and socialize as much as possible.
not much photography and I have been away from the forums for a while. Did not even notice the RFF migration and glad you are posting and happily retired!
It thus has felt as 2021 were different years in one.
Had a similar mood before christmas, went home, Covid strikes again and the news are not good.
It was a bit tough getting home and, while it is not death, I had reminders of time passing.
The Mediterranean light re inspired me photographically, and it has been nice after Christmas.
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Jorde,
We went for a long walk today in the fog. Yesterday and today there was a persistent fog with some wet ground, but no rain. The Hudson Valley pretty much told us that it is a one big cloud forest. The contrast was very conducive to photography and the light very diffused. Somehow I became inspired and began seeing shots, but I was without a camera. I wish I had my M9M because that is the camera that I consider my "art-camera." So I began to notice that there are these funky houses that had storefronts added that built out front yards. Kinda ghetto, funky, and rather odd that gave new meaning to "work from home." but these storefront additions were decades old and pre covid.
Not far from my Baby-Victorian is a fugly white house that has been under contract for over a year and 4 months. The storefront happens to be a good one for an art gallery and would make for a great studio.
So I found inspiration in photographing these work from home spaces because they are so odd and perhaps a bit crazy. We walked from the southern end (We live on the last street in Peekskill and beyond is basically woods) to the northern end of the city where there is a creek where once there were steel mills. So the light was interesting, so was the contrast, and then I found a very interesting subject to photograph with a book in mind with the title "Work From Home."
There is a building that is industrial by the junior high I would love to buy. Looks like the roof is beginning to collapse, but the walls are brick, and the building is old. Not too far from the Peekskill downtown, and on a busy street. The roof would have to be replaced (Gable style), and I'm sure the insides are a wreck, but anyways that's my style. I'm sure it would make a great workspace and gallery.
So Beacon has the DIA which is a huge museum on the river that formally was a Nabisco factory, so the only building I know that is pretty big that could be made into an art center/museum is the Armoury near my house. The only problem is that the National Guard still uses this armory. If I ever meet the governor of New York I would suggest that they move all the stored equipment to Camp Smith on the northern end of Peekskill and donate the armory to create an art center/museum.
"Maggie" says I should talk with Fred, one of our friends, who is influential in the development of the city. There also is another friend, and another friend who created a Christmas Market on about 3-days notice. Fred would wants me to promote a version of "Photoville" in Peekskill.
All I can say is that all I'm trying to do is mind my own business, and yet again it seems like I cant retire or keep a low profile.
"Maggie's" brother thinks he has Covid. He did a rapid test and the results were positive. Maggie's sister isn't feeling so well either, but this is day 4 after the funeral, and for the new variant the average incubation period is 3 days. Maggie and I feel fine.
One of my Titanium bikes I decided to create into a skinny tire mountain bike as a 1x8, 2x1, or 63 inch gear single speed, to exploit the narrow rims to use with a slick made by Schwable called Kojak. The tires are only 1.35 inches wide, and this allows me to use soft latex 700C innertubes that are very lightweight and promote low rolling resistance. This bike uses lots of my recycled parts in a very clever manner. I recycled these titanium mustache bars that are very retro in style so basically this bike promotes the name "Newsboy." The titanium is polished and the fork is an old Koski vintage original that is chrome so the bike is a looker with mucho "Calzone-Factor."
Anyways this bike has my over-the-top style. The wheelbase is 42 1/2 inches, and part of the long-wheelbase is a 2-inch rake on the chrome vintage fork. I suspect that the bike will weigh in under 19 pounds even as a 1x8 because it is outfitted with every trick lightweight aftermarket boutique part from back in the day when mountain bikes were first invented. Basically, the bike is a two-wheeled museum of aftermarket parts. Lots of purple anodize from back in the day, and all top shelf parts that are period correct from that era.
My steel IBIS is being built out as a Jeep, while the Ti IBIS is being built as a gravel bike substitute for epic rides on and off-road, and my old Ti Basso road bike already has been built out as a SUV. Kinda funny how I am building out bikes as if they were cars. In my twisted mind the "Newsboy" is like a substitute for the 1980 Checker "Limo" I owned that had a black vinyl top, an opera window, and had a fold-down bench seat so it had 9 passenger capabilities. This car was evil. Did you know that checker cabs were built on top of Chevy pickup frame? Mine had a posi rear
In January I have to get the kitchen floor done and demo the kitchen and dining room ceilings. Sometime in February, the GC will begin installing cabinets, a radiator has to get removed, and sometime a two-zone mini-split will be installed for HVAC for the first floor. I forgot the kitchen bathroom will also get remodeled at the same time.
I'm pretty excited.
Took down the Christmas tree today. I bought a small dwarf spruce that was a potted tree about 32-34 inches tall without the pot. I will transplant it into a larger pot pronto so hopefully, I can recycle this tree next Christmas. We bought used Christmas ornaments from thrift shops and antique stores. The lights from CVS for little money. Now the lights are on sale half price, they were only $4.99 on sale when I bought them, so for $2.50 I want to load up the truck so for the next few years I'm done.
We kept it simple this year with everything going on, but next year I want to get a little crazy. BTW no need to visit Las Vegas because my neighbor across the street (corner house) has mucho Christmas lights and decorations. "Very garish," I say. Maybe next year he'll have strippers for entertainment factor.
Our neighbors must think we are odd because our decorations are mostly organic and are recycled materials like used Christmas ornaments, a living potted tree, and pine cones from our own yard. The garland and homemade wreath will become compost and landfill in my back-backyard.
I did a cooking experiment and tried to recreate my moist sausages except using turkey sausages instead of pork versions. Not bad, but the pork has mucho mas more flavor and richness. Tomorrow though I'm sure the turkey sausages, peppers and onions will make a rather deadly omelet especially with cheese added (Provolone). Oh-well. Just trying to be healthier, Maggie no longer can eat pork.
I'm taking good care of myself, eating well, but I need to do some weight training so I don't get soft, and start biking and rowing. I don't want to end up in a nursing home or doing "Groundhog Day" like my older friend. I forgot he told me about 4 times also how he qualified to get into the electronics school in the Navy, told me 4-times how they wanted to bump him into mechanics, explained to me 4-times how he learned about the special program from his brother... I forgot also the story about how he set up a TV repair shop in Yonkers in the building he lived in. The super gave him the room for free with the condition that he would get free TV repairs in exchange. Know this was in the time of analog electronics and everything was vacuum tubes. The day job was with Honeywell and he worked on computers that ran on vacuum tubes.
Anyways it was kind to listen, but I got the message that I have to pump mucho oxygen into my brain over the next decades. Anyways I am glad I was there for my old friend.
In a ways my positive spin is that I got a lot of valuable gifts this Christmas in the form of wake-up calls. Funny how this coincided with my retirement. "Divine intervention," I say.
Cal
Prest_400
Multiformat
Good way to put it, wake up calls.
One has to be active as heck, I noticed that 2021 ended quite well by moving central, having a local work hub and then paving the way to better times. Heck during the "covid free" autumn I have smartly socialised and felt 18 again, in some literal ways.
The wake up calls here was seeing my uncle, now 77, quite slow walking and with more limited mobility. It ks also a message. He retired early but was very nonchalant on being very active and the lockdown got him to be sedentary... There goes most of the walking.
Reminds me of the latin phrase I saved of "Media vita in morte sumus" ("In the midst of life we are in death") as I try to squeeze time as I can. I have a friend who asked me "but do you rest and do nothing?" (I do) but to me the nothing most of the times is not resting, but draining energy. I like how he gets puzzled when I say that I used to be an introvert kid and don't empathise with that, as I converted to an extrovert in adulthood. I frame it as an attitude.
Got a gym subscription as part of work benefits and have the small gym across the street, finally I will commit to weight training.
Photography wise, I am closer to my photoclub's darkroom. There is a local auction for a Rolleiflex 2.8E Planar that reignited GAS, as I have no proper 6x6... BUT, wow have Kodak Color prices increased! $80 for 5x120 in this side of the pond. Mediterranean light when I visit my folks really works well with Portra, but otherwise I shoot mostly B&W.
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Yesterday I started walking the girlfriend. We did about 7 1/2 miles walking the length of Peekskill start at the very southern end where we live, but today we walked south along Route 9A through the town of Bucannon and into the town of Verplanck that only has a population of about 1700 people. The walk totaled 7 miles.
Today I had my MM and took some shots on an overcast day with wet streets, the weather has been soggy lately. Much of the walking was on the shoulders of the roads because there were no sidewalks. Along the way on 9A we came upon a building that back in 1930 or so was a gas station. What a great subject to shoot. It was suburban decay at its best and was like an Edward Hooper painting. Then there was this muffler shop with an office like a tea kettle. The antique gas station is undergoing remediation because it is a toxic waste site.
The houses were modest and small, many of them summer cottages or "camps" that were just summer rentals in the past. We came upon the High School that if we had school-age kids where they would go even though we live in Peekskill the schools are in Buccanon which is considered a better school district and actually a good one. Peekskill's rating I am told is not so good, but that is because it has lots of immigrants...
We were minding our own business when we made friends with another couple our age on Route 9A. Jeff is a drummer who taught music in schools in Yonkers, his wife Helena was the Principle in a public school in Buccanon. Jeff was retired, and through Jeff I learned about a new non-profit arts center in Verplanck the next town further south along the river. So we ventured there via Montrose another small town. When I say small I mean it, for example, Verplanck has a population of about 1700 and the town is only 0.8 of a square mile along the Hudson River. In comparison, I live in a city and Peekskill has a population of 25K.
The local vibe of the area is like way-way upstate and the commercial districts are just a handful of stores.
The art center formally was a private Catholic school that existed for exactly 100 years and is on a one-acre site. They have two 900 foot studios for Artists In Residence programs, two galleries, a coffee shop, a classroom, and a performance space. They only opened last year.
Hmmm...
How come I dig up all the smut.
Maggie's brother has Covid, but so far we are 5 days out from the funeral and no symptoms. We kept our distance as much as possible. We had to enter the world of "Oh-Well" during the funeral and wake.
So the "Newsboy" has evolved into a "Newsboy-Cruiser" and is getting built out as a 2x8 instead of a 1x8 for an extended range of gearing. I found these "Marathon Supreme" tires made by Schwable that have a lightweight kelvar bead and a 1.6 inch width that will allow me to utilize 700C sized latex innertubes for lightweight and low rolling resistance. A lot of obsessive thinking has made lots of clever decisions. The tires cost $76.00 each and they are made of a special ADDIX soft compound. I'll be ordering 4 so there goes over $300.00. I need a pair to build out the bike, I'm upgrading the front tire on my Ti IBIS dedicated urban single-speed wheels, and of course, I need at least one spare because I'm a hoarder.
I figure I will set up the steel IBIS with a Rock Shox Judy SL that I have in my inventory that has a set of green "Speed Springs" for lightweight riders. This way I have one bike with suspension, and another without that can be converted. Both IBIS's have 26 inch front wheels, 24 inch rear wheels, and have short wheelbases for violent handling and the only big difference is one is made of steel and the other titanium.
I am a "weight weenie" and do everything to minimize bike weight, especially rotating mass because of my understanding of physics. I like mountain biking because it really is the study of physics in real-time. When riding you are processing lots of information and there is lots of spatial reasoning going on. Then there are issues involving the center of gravity, momentum, and acceleration. To maneuver between two trees on a narrow deer trail you might have to steer left to go right so you are figuring out how two vectors might add up.
Some people might call me diseased with Bike Anorexia. Anyways because I'm a skinny bitch the laws of physics get compounded.
Another relaxing and stimulating day. No stress, and eventually I'll get back to working on the house. Tomorrow I will likely take down the exterior Christmas lights. Today I went to CVS and bought two sets of colored Christmas lights for $2.50 each and the last set of battery-powered LED white lights for illuminating a wreath also for almost no money. "Don't tell Maggie," but I think I will buy some more because I want to load up the truck. For the next few years I don't want to have to buy any lights, especially when I can buy them for almost no-money today.
Cal
Today I had my MM and took some shots on an overcast day with wet streets, the weather has been soggy lately. Much of the walking was on the shoulders of the roads because there were no sidewalks. Along the way on 9A we came upon a building that back in 1930 or so was a gas station. What a great subject to shoot. It was suburban decay at its best and was like an Edward Hooper painting. Then there was this muffler shop with an office like a tea kettle. The antique gas station is undergoing remediation because it is a toxic waste site.
The houses were modest and small, many of them summer cottages or "camps" that were just summer rentals in the past. We came upon the High School that if we had school-age kids where they would go even though we live in Peekskill the schools are in Buccanon which is considered a better school district and actually a good one. Peekskill's rating I am told is not so good, but that is because it has lots of immigrants...
We were minding our own business when we made friends with another couple our age on Route 9A. Jeff is a drummer who taught music in schools in Yonkers, his wife Helena was the Principle in a public school in Buccanon. Jeff was retired, and through Jeff I learned about a new non-profit arts center in Verplanck the next town further south along the river. So we ventured there via Montrose another small town. When I say small I mean it, for example, Verplanck has a population of about 1700 and the town is only 0.8 of a square mile along the Hudson River. In comparison, I live in a city and Peekskill has a population of 25K.
The local vibe of the area is like way-way upstate and the commercial districts are just a handful of stores.
The art center formally was a private Catholic school that existed for exactly 100 years and is on a one-acre site. They have two 900 foot studios for Artists In Residence programs, two galleries, a coffee shop, a classroom, and a performance space. They only opened last year.
Hmmm...
How come I dig up all the smut.
Maggie's brother has Covid, but so far we are 5 days out from the funeral and no symptoms. We kept our distance as much as possible. We had to enter the world of "Oh-Well" during the funeral and wake.
So the "Newsboy" has evolved into a "Newsboy-Cruiser" and is getting built out as a 2x8 instead of a 1x8 for an extended range of gearing. I found these "Marathon Supreme" tires made by Schwable that have a lightweight kelvar bead and a 1.6 inch width that will allow me to utilize 700C sized latex innertubes for lightweight and low rolling resistance. A lot of obsessive thinking has made lots of clever decisions. The tires cost $76.00 each and they are made of a special ADDIX soft compound. I'll be ordering 4 so there goes over $300.00. I need a pair to build out the bike, I'm upgrading the front tire on my Ti IBIS dedicated urban single-speed wheels, and of course, I need at least one spare because I'm a hoarder.
I figure I will set up the steel IBIS with a Rock Shox Judy SL that I have in my inventory that has a set of green "Speed Springs" for lightweight riders. This way I have one bike with suspension, and another without that can be converted. Both IBIS's have 26 inch front wheels, 24 inch rear wheels, and have short wheelbases for violent handling and the only big difference is one is made of steel and the other titanium.
I am a "weight weenie" and do everything to minimize bike weight, especially rotating mass because of my understanding of physics. I like mountain biking because it really is the study of physics in real-time. When riding you are processing lots of information and there is lots of spatial reasoning going on. Then there are issues involving the center of gravity, momentum, and acceleration. To maneuver between two trees on a narrow deer trail you might have to steer left to go right so you are figuring out how two vectors might add up.
Some people might call me diseased with Bike Anorexia. Anyways because I'm a skinny bitch the laws of physics get compounded.
Another relaxing and stimulating day. No stress, and eventually I'll get back to working on the house. Tomorrow I will likely take down the exterior Christmas lights. Today I went to CVS and bought two sets of colored Christmas lights for $2.50 each and the last set of battery-powered LED white lights for illuminating a wreath also for almost no money. "Don't tell Maggie," but I think I will buy some more because I want to load up the truck. For the next few years I don't want to have to buy any lights, especially when I can buy them for almost no-money today.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
https://www.kinosaito.org
Hope the link works.
BTW where Peekskill ends is basically my back-backyard, then there is a marsh and then a hill/forest. This art center is about 3 1/2 mile walk from my house.
Cal
Hope the link works.
BTW where Peekskill ends is basically my back-backyard, then there is a marsh and then a hill/forest. This art center is about 3 1/2 mile walk from my house.
Cal
Benjamin Marks
Veteran
Those Schwalbe tires are sweet. And worth it! I ran over a nail on my way from Vermont to Maine about five years ago. The nail pierced my Schwalbe at an angle and tore away a bunch of the vulcanized rubber exposing the blue underlayer. The tire ran fine until the next town in NH, and I replaced the rear tire. Tough stuff, and worth every penny in my opinion. The Leica of bike tires.
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Ben,
Now that I'm retired I want to do everything as "one and done." I love your comment, "The Leica of bike tires."
I know it's wrong to profile people, but I worked at Grumman for 17 years, I visited a Mercedes factory, and now I'm spoiled by driving an Audi A4.
Pre-Covid I decided to try and ride to Bear Mountain up 9W from Madhattan via the George Washington Bridge. I did this alone, and on my Ti IBIS set up as a 63 gear inch single speed. On 9W I saw mucho carbon fiber Colnago road bikes and I was the only fool on basically a mountain bike.
The short wheelbase (40 inches) and the lightweight of a Ti bike did well deep into Rockland county. Pretty much I biked from Madhattan into New Jersey, and then back into New York, but somewhere close to Lake Rockland I could start to feel my legs start to seize up.
Pretty dumb. I forgot that I had to pedal home, and I began to panic thinking I might have to get an UBER to get me home. I was so dumb I did not even have a cell phone to call an UBER anyways.
So I started to head back, but on the first hill I had to walk up the hill and even that was painful. A car passed and then parked in front of me. A man got out with his dog and I saw him get on a trail.
I asked someone leaving the trail at the trailhead where the path led to and it was an old railroad grade that ended in Piermont.
It was divine intervention because railroad grades are not rolling hills that lay ahead through Rockland County in New York, and the railroad trail was a graded descent downhill that would bypass all the rollers that lay ahead.
I would learn that basically, the ride from Piermont would continue downhill. I was saved.
The tires on my IBIS were Kojak slicks, not really off-road tires. Oh-well.
So the moral of the story is smart guys do really-really dumb things, but the Kojaks and the Marathon Supremes have armor against road hazards, and it is like having insurance.
Anyways I should be dead many times because of my misadventures. LOL. How did I become an old man?
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Tomorrow I will start doing Burpee's combined with a pushup. Pretty much a squat thrust with a pushup. I need to toughen up. Let's see what I can do...
Cal
Cal
Range-rover
Veteran
Thank you Cal, for your cool words, still thinking of trying to fix that shutter but there's holes and wrinkles so I think a new one in order.
It's great to get back to Leica again Film or Digital it's just different and that rangefinder focusing can't be beat. Oh on the guitar front
I build myself a new Telecaster.
Range-rover
Veteran
Cal, Tell Maggie I'm sorry for here loss. it's been rough few years for all of us.
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Instead of Burpees, I did 15 minutes of rowing. Tomorrow I'll do at least 20 minutes, but I'll see if I can do half an hour.
Removed a 4 foot square of linoleum as my house contribution.
I got that $500.00 bike tire delivery today. Another $300.00 bike tire delivery will be coming, then I also ordered some chains, tubes, valves and tools.
I figure I should spoil myself silly for my birthday coming up.
I might throw around that kettlebell or the dumbells later just to tighten things up. So far the rapid tests for Covid from Maggie's daughter's family are coming back negative. We dodged a bullet at the funeral and wake.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Nokton48
Veteran
Cal,
I have three Plaubel Auto Makiflexes and two Plaubel Standard Makiflexes :shootout: LOL!!
I have three Plaubel Auto Makiflexes and two Plaubel Standard Makiflexes :shootout: LOL!!
Range-rover
Veteran
What!!!!!!!!!!
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Today hiked in Blue Mountain Preserve. I wanted to explore two trailheads: one blue; and the other purple. The reason is that these two trailheads combined are labeled "my favorite trail" on a map made by the Westchester Mountain Biking Association. Also, the trail for bikes is only in one direction. The map depicts all these switchbacks and the topography is a series of rollers I would later learn. We were only able to explore the Blue Trail fully because it was pretty long and required using part of the Orange Trail that we walked before. On the way back we ended up walking part of the White Trail.
In all this walking we only crossed paths with one person and we saw a couple start their hike from a trailhead near Montrose Station Road.
I have not figured out the best route yet to the very beginning of "My Favorite Trail" but it seems long enough to be a long complete ride. The erosion that exposed mucho rocks on the "double-track" trails makes biking difficult. Part of the problem for me is that my bikes are not really geared or rigged for this technical terrain. Rigid bikes are at a disadvantage, clipless pedals make the technical sections doubly dangerous, and the gearing has to be lower for the climbing.
The Blue Trail certainly has some rocky sections and some technical challenges, but not the level of difficulty of the Red Trail and the Dark Blue Trail that includes a climb called "Ned's Lung" a trail called "Limbo." Certainly, a full suspension bike would be an asset, but I don't want to buy another crazy bike.
It's been a year and I have not had the time to explore the full 1500 acres. Now that I'm retired I have the time. A great way to stay safe and keep socially distant.
I'm excited to get in the saddle again. Bike parts will be trickling in.
The steel IBIS I'm setting up with very low gears using a 3x1 for 26.4"-38.4"-50.4" gearing. This bike has aggressive handling, but will initially be a rigid with a 2.35 wide front tire for some cush.
Last night I bought a 1996 Judy XC that was overhauled/upgraded with SRP (SpecialtyRetroProducts) parts and since the rebuild and tricking out has not been used. This was done by SRP on a relatively fresh Judy XC that was upgraded to a Judy SL except for the steerer/crown. Some of the upgrades are Steed Springs, new seals, and a new damper. Springs will be installed before shipping for a 150 pound rider.
This is a retro fork that would be period correct for my Ti IBIS that is pre V-brake. All Ti hardware also was part of the upgrade. The Ti IBIS will be the first bike to get the 11 speed XTR.
Phil was very helpful in steering me into loading up on 11 speed XT cassettes. I have two full complete XRT 2x11 drivetrains kitted out, but I need to get two rear wheels built out. I loaded up the truck and bought all this 11-speed XTR on closeout when it was announced that Shimano was coming out with a new 12-speed XTR.
I figure that every morning I could get a ride in as part of my new retirement lifestyle. No need to get into a car to get to a trail. Pretty much Dawn patrol...
Tomorrow I officially will be 64. I have been buying mucho bike parts as birthday presents.
Cal
In all this walking we only crossed paths with one person and we saw a couple start their hike from a trailhead near Montrose Station Road.
I have not figured out the best route yet to the very beginning of "My Favorite Trail" but it seems long enough to be a long complete ride. The erosion that exposed mucho rocks on the "double-track" trails makes biking difficult. Part of the problem for me is that my bikes are not really geared or rigged for this technical terrain. Rigid bikes are at a disadvantage, clipless pedals make the technical sections doubly dangerous, and the gearing has to be lower for the climbing.
The Blue Trail certainly has some rocky sections and some technical challenges, but not the level of difficulty of the Red Trail and the Dark Blue Trail that includes a climb called "Ned's Lung" a trail called "Limbo." Certainly, a full suspension bike would be an asset, but I don't want to buy another crazy bike.
It's been a year and I have not had the time to explore the full 1500 acres. Now that I'm retired I have the time. A great way to stay safe and keep socially distant.
I'm excited to get in the saddle again. Bike parts will be trickling in.
The steel IBIS I'm setting up with very low gears using a 3x1 for 26.4"-38.4"-50.4" gearing. This bike has aggressive handling, but will initially be a rigid with a 2.35 wide front tire for some cush.
Last night I bought a 1996 Judy XC that was overhauled/upgraded with SRP (SpecialtyRetroProducts) parts and since the rebuild and tricking out has not been used. This was done by SRP on a relatively fresh Judy XC that was upgraded to a Judy SL except for the steerer/crown. Some of the upgrades are Steed Springs, new seals, and a new damper. Springs will be installed before shipping for a 150 pound rider.
This is a retro fork that would be period correct for my Ti IBIS that is pre V-brake. All Ti hardware also was part of the upgrade. The Ti IBIS will be the first bike to get the 11 speed XTR.
Phil was very helpful in steering me into loading up on 11 speed XT cassettes. I have two full complete XRT 2x11 drivetrains kitted out, but I need to get two rear wheels built out. I loaded up the truck and bought all this 11-speed XTR on closeout when it was announced that Shimano was coming out with a new 12-speed XTR.
I figure that every morning I could get a ride in as part of my new retirement lifestyle. No need to get into a car to get to a trail. Pretty much Dawn patrol...
Tomorrow I officially will be 64. I have been buying mucho bike parts as birthday presents.
Cal
pyeh
Member of good standing
Happy Birthday for tomorrow then, Cal.
I do love your Letters from America.
I do love your Letters from America.